Yesterday (29 April), the Minister of Economy and Labour, Jason Hayward, participated in an award ceremony at the Department of Workforce Development to present 17 welders with their national certifications for welding. Minister Hayward congratulated them for their dedication and hard work towards completing the rigorous welder’s practical assessment test administered by the Canadian Welding Bureau assessment team and earning the prestigious Welder ID Card and National Certification Certificate.

Minister Hayward reflected on the event, saying, "This ceremony marks a milestone in our journey towards a more formalized and standardized approach to training and certifying welders under the National Occupation Certification Act of 2004.”

"Under the purview of the Welding Occupational Advisory Committee, comprised of industry experts, we have established standard requirements for national safety training across all construction-related jobs, which ensures not only the safety of our workers but also a quality of craftsmanship that Bermuda can be proud of."

The 17 participants were:

Minister Hayward continued, “I want to thank Mr. Jibreel Talbot, CWB Welding Inspector,  for his invaluable contributions. His efforts have propelled the welding National Certification assessment process forward, paving the way for a brighter future for welders in Bermuda.”